Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection
Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection
Okeanos Explorer Leader's Guides
Okeanos Explorer Lesson Plans
Multimedia Discovery Missions
OceanAGE Ocean Career Connection
Resources and Links
Okeanos Explorer Education
Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection
The Education Vision for the Okeanos Explorer is that this is the ship upon which learners of all ages embark together on scientific voyages of exploration to poorly-known or unexplored areas of the global ocean to participate in innovative ways as ocean explorers in breakthrough discoveries that lead to increased scientific understanding and enhanced literacy about our ocean world.
To help fulfill this vision, the Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection is being developed to encourage educators, students, and citizen scientists to become personally involved with the voyages and discoveries of America’s first Federal ship dedicated to Ocean Exploration. Lesson plans in the Collection focus on three themes:
“Why Do We Explore?” (reasons for ocean exploration);
“How Do We Explore?” (exploration methods); and
“What Do We Expect to Find?” (recent discoveries that give us clues about what we may find in Earth’s largely unknown ocean).
For each of these themes, a Leader’s Guide for Classroom Explorers provides background information, links to resources, and an overview of recommended lesson plans. In addition, an Initial Inquiry Lesson for each of the three themes leads student inquiries that provide an overview of key topics. A series of lessons for each theme guide student investigations that explore these topics in greater depth. In the future, additional guides will be to the Education Materials Collection to support the involvement of citizen scientists.
Okeanos Explorer Leader's Guide
Why Do We Explore? (5.6 Mb, PDF)
This is the Leader’s Guide for the “Why Do We Explore?” theme.
Initial Inquiry Lesson
"To Boldly Go . . ." (4.6 Mb, PDF)
Initial Inquiry Lesson for the "Why Do We Explore?" theme
The Okeanos Explorer Lesson Plans are under development, and are expected to be completed by mid-August 2009. Please note that while each lesson is targeted toward a specific grade level, most can be adapted for use in other grades as well.
Multimedia Discovery Missions
Click on links to Lessons 3, 5, 12, 13, and 15 for interactive multimedia presentations and learning activities on Deep-Sea Corals; Chemosynthesis and Hydrothermal Vent Life; Food, Water, and Medicine from the Sea; Ocean Pollution; and Seamounts.
OceanAGE Ocean Career Connections
Interact with some of the talented explorers who study the ocean world. From underwater pilots to research scientists, these marine mentors will provide students with first-hand knowledge of exciting careers through their live interviews, profiles, and mission logs. Join us for a series of live webchats, interactive video webcasts, and text-based forums with several ocean explorers.
Resources and Links
A list of other resources and links related to this expedition for you to explore.
For More Information
Contact Paula Keener-Chavis, Education Director, NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research Program.
